Garment bag



ay 9 ca. K. BALLENTINE GARMENT BAG Filed May 27, 1937 Patented May 30, 1939 UNlTED STATEd PATENT OFF-ICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in garment bags and particularly to a closure means therefor. The particular type of garment bag to which the invention relates is that shown in my Patent No. 1,948,019, dated February 20, 1934. In said patent is shown a bag having a top opening adapted to be closed by a pair of pivoted bars, said opening continuing down the side of the bag, that portion of the opening located on the side of the bag being closed by a slide fastener or similar means.

In the bag of the present construction, the top opening in the bag is dispensed with, thereby avoiding the possibility of. dust having access to the interior of the due to a poor fit of the closure elements or for other reasons. My experiments have shown that any dust entering the bag is likely to fall down through a top opening and accordingly the present invention contemplates the provision of a side opening only, through which the garments to be placed in the bag are inserted.

One of the objections encountered with bags of this character in which a side opening only is employed, is the inability of the user of the bag to'conveniently hold the opening properly distended while the garments are being inserted into the bag or being removed therefrom. Accordingly, the present invention contemplates the provision of means for holding the opening distended, leaving both hands of the user free to handle the garments and insert them through the opening and into the bag, or remove them from the bag. At the same time, a closure means'is provided which will effectively close the opening during the normal use of the bag and while the garments are contained in it.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a bag having a side slit opening only extending downwardly from the junction of the top and side of the bag to or near the bottom of the bag and having the upper portion of said opening normally closed by a pair of pivoted arms which when in closed position are in overlapped relationship, and when open are spread apart and serve to hold the slit opening in an open or distended position to permit the entry of garments through it into the bag, said arms co-operating with auxiliary fastening'means for effectively closing the opening while the bag is in use in its protective capacity.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein several embodiments of the invention are shown,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved bag in its closed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view of bag through the top thereof the bag in open position; Fig. 3 is a side view A of a modified structure; Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the bag frame; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a view of the frame shown 1 in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the bars of the frame showing the attachment thereto of the pivoted arms; Fig. 8 is a sectional view through said bar; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The bag, shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, is of elongated form and generally rectangularand includes the front and back panels iii, a closed top H, a closed bottom l2, a closed side and a side composed of two elongated panels 13 and I4 defining a slit opening extending from the top to the bottom of the bag, the longitudinal meeting edges [5 and I6 of said panels being adapted to be held together in overlapping or closed relationship by means of the improved closure device to be described. The bag may be made of textile fabric or any similar material as is well understood by those skilled in this art.

The top panel ll of the bag is supported by the frame shown in detail in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive. Said frame is composed of wire or some similar material and includes the side bars I! and I8, integrally connected at one end by the end member l9, and at the other end by the other end memberor bar 20. At a substantially central point, the side members [1 and I8 of the frame are connected by a transverse brace member 2| which has its ends looped around the side members l1 and I8 and is prevented from shifting on the members I! and if! by the indentations 22 formed therein. Said cross bar 2! is corrugated or undulated as shown to hold garment hangers suspended on it and prevent them from shifting, and pivotally attached to said cross bar is a supporting hook 23, said hook having a sleeve 24 in its lower end which surrounds the bar 2| and allows pivotal movement on the hook on said bar. The hook extends through an opening or eyelet 25 provided in the top of the bag and is used for the suspension of the bag in a closet on a suitable support.

Secured on the bar 2!! of the frame is a pair of arms 25 and 25, said arms being pivotally connected at one of their'ends, as at 21, with a loop 28 having tongue portions 29 interposed between the ends of said arms. The loop member 28 is preferably of spring metal and the tongues 29 thereon tend to spring apart, thereby applying friction on the arms 25 and 26 so that the arms will remain in any position to which they are moved on their pivot in respect to one another. The loop 28 attaches to the bar 20 by being extended thereover, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, and the pivotally connected arms 25 and 25 and the loop 28 can swing as a unit in one direction transversely of bar 20, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8. This swinging movement in the direction indicated occurs when the bag is collapsed or folded fiat in a position of non-use. Movement of the arms and loop in the opposite direction is prevented by a bar 30 having its ends looped at 3! around the bars If and I 8 and its central portion bent around in front of the loop 28 as clearly shown in Figs. '7 and 8, said portion also preventing loop 28 from shifting longitudinally of the bar 20. K

The frame shown in Fig. 4 fits within the bag directly under top panel H and thereby defines the top panel, with the hook member 23 projecting through the eyelet 25 and available on the outside of the bag for suspending the bag upon a support. The bottom of the bag is provided with a supporting board 39, which lends shape to the bottom of the bag. Near the top of the bag, the edge portions l5 and is of the panels l3 and M respectively are formed with pockets 3% and 35 into which the arms 25 and 26 are inserted. Extending downwardly from the lower ends of said pockets or from the free ends of arms 25 and 26 are fastening means, such as the 00- operating snap fastener elements 35 and 31. or a slide fastening device such as shown at 38 in Fig. 3, said fastening means co-operating with the pivoted arms in completing closure means for the opening in the bag.

The bag in its closed position is shown in Fig. 1 where it will be seen that the opening is held closed by means of the interengaged fastening elements 36 and 37 and by the arms 25 and 26 located in the pockets 3 3 and 35, and which are at this time located in the overlapping position shown in Fig. 9. To open the bag merely requires the disengagement of the fastening elements 36 and 31 and the spreading apart of the arms 25 and 26 to the extent required to hold the bag open or distended to permit the insertion of the garments within it. Since the pivot connection 21 of the arms 2'5 and 26 is frictionally controlled, the arms 25 and 26 will remain in any position in which they are set and will thereby hold the bag opening in a distended position, permitting the easy insertion of the garments through the opening and into the bag, without requiring the use of one hand for holding the opening in the bag distended. When the garments have been inserted within the bag and suspended therein by having their supporting hangers hooked over the corrugated cross bar 2!, the bag is closed by swinging the arms 25 and 26 to the overlapped position of Fig. 9, thus closing the upper portion of the bag opening, and then uniting the fastening members 36 and 37, or if a slide fastener is employed, by moving the operating slide upward to meet the lower termination of the overlapped arms within the pockets 34 and 35.

Through the arrangement disclosed, the bag opening is held securely closed and at the same time when it is opened, it will, through the instrumentality of the hinged arms 25 and 26 hold the opening, and particularly the upper portion thereof, in a widely distended position to thereby permit the easy insertion or removal of the arments.

What I claim is:

means for said opening including 1. A garment bag having a closed top, a bottom, and side panels, one of said panels having a slit opening extending from the top to the bottom, closure means for said opening including a pair of pivotally connected arms having their point of pivotal connection located at the junction of the top and slitted panel of the bag, said arms being attached to the opposite edges of the slit and acting to distend the slit when said arms are spread apart, and supplemental slit-closing means extending from the free ends of said arms to the lower end of the slit.

2. A garment bag having a top, a bottom, and side panels, one of said panels being provided with a continuous slit opening extending from one edge of the top to the bottom of the bag, closure a pair of arms pivotally connected together at one of their ends, means for frictionally retaining the arms in any selected position towhich they are pivoted with respect to one another, the point of pivotal connection of said arms being located at the upper end of the slit, said arms extending downwardly from the point of location of the pivot and being secured respectively to the opposite edges of the slit and acting to distend the slit and retain it in said distended position when the arms are pivotally spread apart, and supplemental closure means for uniting the edges of the slit from a point below the free ends of the arms to the lower end of the slit.

3. A garment bag having a top, a bottom and side panels connecting the top and bottom, one of said panels having a slit opening extending for its entire length from the top to the bottom .of the bag, closure means for said opening including fastening elements extending from the lower end of the slit to a point near its upper end, said closure means also including two pivoted arms attached to the side portions of the slit from the upper termination of the fastening elements to the upper end of the slit and acting to hold the upper portion of said slit in a distended position when the fastening members are in open position and the arms are spread apart.

4. A garment bag having a closed top, a closed bottom, and side panels connecting said top and bottom, one of said panels being provided with a slit opening extending for its entire length from the top to the bottom of the bag, closure means for said opening including fastening elements extending from the lower termination of the slit to a point near the upper end of said slit, said closure means also including two arms pivotally connected together at one of their ends, one of said arms being attached to the bag along an edge of the slit and extending from the upper termination of the fastening elements to the upper end of the slit, the other arm being similarly attached to the opposite side of the slit, said arms acting to hold the upper portion of said slit in a distended position when the fastening members are opened and the arms are spread apart, and means located at the pivotal point of the arms for frictionally resisting pivotal movement of the arms with respect to one another to thereby hold the arms in any selected spreadapart position.

5. A garment bag having a top, a bottom and side panels, one of said panels being provided with a slit opening extending downwardly from the top toward the bottom, closure means for said opening including a pair of pivotally connected arms having their point of pivotal connection located at the upper end of the slit, said arms being attached respectively to the opposite edges of the slit and acting to distend the upper portion of the slit and hold it in said distended position, and means for co-operating with said arms to hold the slit closed for its full length.

6. A garment bag having a top, a bottom and side panels, one of said panels being provided with a slit opening extending downwardly from the top toward the bottom, a frame located within the bag directly under the top thereof, a pair of pivotally connected arms secured to said frame and depending arms being respectively attached to the slitted panel on opposite sides of the slit therein, means for attaching said arms to the frame, said means having elements for creating friction between the arms to thereby resist pivotal movement of the arms with respect to one another and thereby enable the arms to remain in any selected position of pivotal adjustment, and fastening means for co-operating with said arms to close the slit opening.

'7. A garment bag having a top, a bottom and side panels, a wire frame located within said bag directly under the top thereof, one of the panels having a slit opening extending downwardly from the top toward the bottom, two arms pivotally connected togetherat one of their ends, a loop member secured in said pivot and extending about a portion of the frame to suspend the arms from their pivot in a dependent position, a pocket formed along each edge of the slit into which one of the arms is received, and fastening means to close said slit from the lower termination of the pockets to the lower end of the slit opening.

8. A garment bag having a top, ,a bottom, and side panels, one of said panels having a slit opening extending from the top to the bottom, closure means for said opening including a pair of pivotally connected arms having their point of pivotal connection located at the junction of the top and slitted panel of the bag, said arms being downwardly therefrom, said closing the slit from attached to the opposite edges of the slit and acting to distend the slit when said arms are spread apart, a wire frame located within the bag under the top thereof and on which the pivoted arms are suspended, and supplemental slit-closing means extending from the free ends of the arms to the lower end of the slit.

9. A garment bag having a top, a bottom and side panels, one of said panels having a slit opening extending from the top toward the bottom, closure means for said opening including a pair of pivotally connected arms having their point of pivotal connection located at the junction of the top and slitted panel of the bag, said arms 7 being attached to the opposite edges of the slit and acting to distend the slit when said arms are spread outwardly on their pivot from one another, a wire frame located within the bag under the top thereof and on which the pivotally connected arms are suspended, loop means extending over the frame and attaching the arms to the frame, said loop means being pivotal on the frame toward the inside of the bag to thereby carry the arms inwardly when so pivoted, means for preventing pivotal movement of said loop member outwardly of the frame, and fastening means for the free ends of the arms to the lower end of the slit.

10. A receptacle comprising an upper frame member and an elongated cloth bag mounted over said member, said bag having a longitudinal opening in one side thereof forming a pair of cooperating flaps, a clip mounted on and embracing one end of said frame member, said clip having a projecting portion, a pair of short blades pivoted on said projecting portion for frictional contact with said projecting portion and with each other, said blades being secured to said flaps and operable to maintain the latter in open or overlapping condition.

GEORGE K. BALLENTINE. 

